Rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central
Africa Western and Central: Rural population, annual growth rate was 1.03 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
1.03 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 12.9%
Rank
15th
of 45 groups
All-time high
2.04 % change on previous year
in 1982
All-time low
1.03 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
65
1961–2025
Rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central, 1961–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Africa Western and Central recorded 1.03 % change on previous year for rural population, annual growth rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
The figure is down 12.9% on the previous year and down 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central peaked at 2.04 % change on previous year in 1982 and was at its lowest, 1.03 % change on previous year, in 2025.
That places Africa Western and Central 15th out of 45 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.51 % change on previous year | — |
| 1962 | 1.5 % change on previous year | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 1.5 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 1.48 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 1965 | 1.47 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 1.46 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1967 | 1.45 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 1.47 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 1.54 % change on previous year | +5.1% |
| 1970 | 1.6 % change on previous year | +3.9% |
| 1971 | 1.58 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 1.59 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 1.63 % change on previous year | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 1.69 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 1975 | 1.76 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 1976 | 1.76 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1977 | 1.79 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 1.9 % change on previous year | +6.4% |
| 1979 | 1.98 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 1980 | 1.97 % change on previous year | -0.4% |
| 1981 | 1.97 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 2.04 % change on previous year | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 1.87 % change on previous year | -8.5% |
| 1984 | 1.76 % change on previous year | -5.8% |
| 1985 | 1.87 % change on previous year | +6.3% |
| 1986 | 1.95 % change on previous year | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 1.82 % change on previous year | -6.5% |
| 1988 | 1.89 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 1.92 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 1.82 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 1991 | 1.62 % change on previous year | -10.7% |
| 1992 | 1.93 % change on previous year | +18.9% |
| 1993 | 1.88 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 1.86 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.93 % change on previous year | +3.9% |
| 1996 | 1.88 % change on previous year | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 1.82 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 1998 | 1.83 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.79 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 2000 | 1.8 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 1.83 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 1.84 % change on previous year | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 1.83 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.84 % change on previous year | +0.2% |
| 2005 | 1.83 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 1.84 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 1.85 % change on previous year | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.8 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 2010 | 1.78 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 1.8 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 2012 | 1.73 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 1.67 % change on previous year | -3.6% |
| 2014 | 1.65 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 1.6 % change on previous year | -3.3% |
| 2016 | 1.57 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 1.51 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 2018 | 1.41 % change on previous year | -6.5% |
| 2019 | 1.31 % change on previous year | -7.4% |
| 2020 | 1.21 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 2021 | 1.15 % change on previous year | -5.4% |
| 2022 | 1.07 % change on previous year | -6.9% |
| 2023 | 1.13 % change on previous year | +5.8% |
| 2024 | 1.19 % change on previous year | +5.0% |
| 2025 | 1.03 % change on previous year | -12.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.49 % change on previous year | 1.45 % change on previous year | 1.54 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.73 % change on previous year | 1.58 % change on previous year | 1.98 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.91 % change on previous year | 1.76 % change on previous year | 2.04 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.83 % change on previous year | 1.62 % change on previous year | 1.93 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.83 % change on previous year | 1.8 % change on previous year | 1.85 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.6 % change on previous year | 1.31 % change on previous year | 1.8 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.13 % change on previous year | 1.03 % change on previous year | 1.21 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Western and Central
- 12 Afghanistan 2.47 % change on previous year compare
- 13 Sudan 2.3 % change on previous year compare
- 14 Vanuatu 2.21 % change on previous year compare
- 15 Somalia 2.21 % change on previous year compare
- 16 Malawi 2.19 % change on previous year compare
- 17 Mali 2.03 % change on previous year compare
- 18 Eritrea 2.01 % change on previous year compare
More agriculture & rural data for Africa Western and Central
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 186.96 billion current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 247.88 million (2025)
- Rural population growth 1.0% (2025)
- Rural population 46.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 4.2% (2023)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4652 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2193 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 350.89 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central?
- Rural population, annual growth rate in Africa Western and Central was 1.03 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The highest recorded value was 2.04 % change on previous year in 1982.
- What is the lowest rural population, annual growth rate recorded in Africa Western and Central?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.03 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Africa Western and Central rank for rural population, annual growth rate?
- Africa Western and Central ranks 15th out of 45 groups with data for 2025.
- Is rural population, annual growth rate rising or falling in Africa Western and Central?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Africa Western and Central data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Rural population, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Rural population World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Rural population. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.